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Inside the brutal Navy SEALs screening test more than ‘half’ of trainees don’t finish
Explore the brutal Navy SEALs screening test more than ‘half’ of trainees don’t finish because of how difficult it is. The event is designed to test overall physical readiness in order to participate in the rigorous training pipelines.
Any armed forces fitness exercise is expected to be difficult, but find out what makes the Navy SEAL screening test so tough. But, even the fittest of the fittest find it difficult, including the Navy SEAL trainee who almost drowned in training. Even though it’s a tough test to pass, it’s a key indicator of ability and health.
The brutal Navy SEALs screening test you can try at home
Navy SEALs (the United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land Teams) are the US Navy’s primary special operations force and a component of the Naval Special Warfare Command.
The Navy SEALs are a nimble, elite maritime military force suited for all aspects of unconventional warfare, that provide immediate military relief in crises around the world.
A Physical Screening Test, also referred to as the PST, is a mandatory training aspect for trainee Navy SEALs, designed to test their physical readiness which they must pass in order to join Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S).
But the elite squad urge participants to prepare to the best of their ability in advance of BUD/S, and they remind people that more than half of the trainees don’t finish the test…
Military Fitness shares the minimum and competitive standards of the tests, and they sure are not easy figures. If trainees arrive making competitive scores compared to minimum standards, they will be in a much better position to successfully complete training and become a Navy SEAL.
Points of performance include a swim in which they must perform using either a side-stroke or a breast-stroke.
Next up, push-ups must be performed with a straight back and feet and hands in contact with the deck at all times. No slouching is allowed and proper form must be strictly maintained.
Third on the list is sit-ups. Trainees must sit on the floor with knees bent approximately 90 degrees, arms must be crossed in front of them and the exercise has to perform the full range of motion.
Pull-ups are to be done with palms facing away from you, hands are to be shoulder-width apart. No swinging or kicking is allowed to assist, and your chin must go all the way above the bar ad then you must lower the body all the way down.
Finally, the trainees get a 10-minute rest before starting a 1.5-mile run. It’s exhausting just reading that fitness test, right?
| Physical Screening Test | Minimum Requirements | Competitive Scores |
| Swim 500 Yards | 12:30 minutes | 10:30 minutes |
| Rest 10 Minutes | ||
| Push-ups (within 2 minutes) | 42 | 79 |
| Rest 2 Minutes | ||
| Sit-Ups (within 2 minutes) | 50 | 79 |
| Rest 2 minutes | ||
| Pull-ups (no time limit) | 6 | 11 |
| Rest 10 minutes | ||
| 1.5 Mile Run | 11:00 minutes | 10:20 minutes |
Marine attempts tough Navy SEALs screening test
Veteran content creator Austen Alexander shared a YouTube video showing an active-duty US Marine attempting the US Navy SEAL Physical Screening Test without any practice.
Matt McDonough, from Boston, Massachusetts is in the Marines and managed to complete all elements of the screening test however his swimming technique was not in correct form in order to entirely qualify.
Austen Alexander revealed that Matt would need to work on his swimming performance to keep his arms inside the water while executing his stroke.
Despite being a Marine with lots of training experience and fitness skills, Matt McDonough was shown breathing heavily and appearing very tired at the end of his attempt at the Physical Screening Test.
Do you think you could complete the PST?
